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In 1919, as Europe emerged from the ashes of the Great War, a twenty-seven year old Angelo Luigi ‘A.L.’ Colombo signed the lease on a small factory and so began the production of steel tubes. With demand for bicycles running high, their

Giovanni Maino. With his tubing well-proven in the bicycle industry, Angelo Luigi saw strength in creativity and diversity and was soon supplying material for the tubular frames of seaplanes and road vehicles, as well as for furniture and ski-poles. Italy was at the forefront of aviation in the 1920s, and Colombo enjoyed a strong relationship with Caproni, manufacturing the tubing that formed the backbone of their famous aircraft. In 1927 Colombo became part of aviation history, with De Pinedo and Balbo’s transatlantic planes having airframes constructed from Colombo tubing – the same tubing that was, at that time, used to fabricate race-winning Moto Guzzi motorcycle chassis. To give increased strength and reduced weight, Colombo began experimenting with ‘butted’ tubes – with variable wall thickness along their lenght. Three years later, in 1930, Angelo Luigi created the brand name ‘Columbus’, which was initially only associated with tubular chromed-steel furniture. After an initial trial period, in which Columbus exhibited at the VI Triennale in Milan, Angelo Luigi obtained exclusivity of supply to EMBRU for the production of Marcel Breuer’s iconic furniture designs. Shortly afterwards, Columbus furniture was in

rationalist architects of the time - Figini, Pollini, Terragni, Pagano, Pucci, Faccioli - crafted designs for Columbus, bringing innovation to the furniture industry and further reinforcing the reputation of Columbus as leaders in modernist design.

applied to special sets of bicycle tubes – the Columbus tubes being drawn from Chrome Molybdenum steel and the fork blades being elliptical, laying down

Colombo worked to the maxim “Curiosity is a prelude to knowledge” and

Colombo even designed and built their own butting machines to manufacture the tubes with tapering wall thickness – reinforcing the tubes at the joints where stresses are greatest. Colombo supplied tubes for racing car skeletons and Colombo’s son, Gilberto, designed chassis for the immortal Italian manufacturers Lancia, Maserati and Ferrari. Fangio (‘El Maestro’), Ascari and ‘Gigi’ Villoresi were carried to victory on

application onto bicycle frames in the following years.

‘Columbus’, a new company dedicated to the development and production of specialist tubes for bicycle frames, is formed in 1977. Antonio Colombo, youngest son of Angelo Luigi, leaves his position as President of A.L. Colombo to devote himself entirely to the new-born Columbus. Extensive experience gained from cycle, aircraft and automobile testing was the driving force of the business: Columbus, reinforced by the fact that the Italian artisans who use Columbus tubes are admired and known all over the world, were determined to conquer international markets. Since that time continuous uninterrupted research, highlighting the parts of the frame subjected to the highest stress, has helped

breakage. Among the notable innovations are the taper-gauge elliptical fork

designers and riders.

types of tubes all of controlled origin and guaranteed quality, comes a growing competitive sector. For record attempts on the track, Columbus have developed super-light tube sets for the greatest champions: Coppi, Anquetil, Baldini, Rivière, Bracke, Ritter, Merckx, Moser, Oersted. The doctrine of intelligent experimentation and technological progress continues to be themain focus of the new Columbus, independent from A.L. Colombo since 1978. From research conducted in collaboration with the most prestigious research institutions, and through sophisticated tests carried out on the road and in the laboratory, Columbus continues to develop new materials and designs; new tube sets used by the top riders: from Gimondi to Merckx, Hinault to Argentin, Lemond and Roche, till nowadays new-generation hi-performance oveersized steel tube-sets

The Soul of Cycling since 1919#ColumbusTubing#steelisreal

COLUMBUS S.D.S - STRESS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Carbon frame internal-routing study 3D render simulation of a steel-tube reinforced structure

XCr

• The jewel of the crown, top-range tubeset• The only biphasic stainless seamless tube family available in the cycling industry • Tripled & Double butted tube reinforces

• High corrosion resistance in long-term periods in every use and weather condition

• Reduced thickness, up to 0.4mm for an extremely reduced weight• Exceptional resistance to Stress Corrosion Cracking• No need to be painted or clear-coated after polishing• Ultra smooth surface (Ra

GRUPPO SRL - via G. di Vittorio, 21 20090 Caleppio di Settala, MilanoITALY - info@columbustubi.com

#ColumbusTubing#steelisrealwww.columbustubi.com

XCr is an innovative, high grade stainless steel tubing set. Exclusive and unique characteristic for the whole bike industry of the new Columbus XCr set, is that the stainless steel tubes are seamless, made starting from a solid billet, machine-perforated and cold drawn countless times, to obtain

are uniform and constant in the whole round section of the tube.Thanks to the special chemical composition of this new alloy, the grain structure is not altered by welding during the frame construction. The maximum characteristics are granted also in the joint areas. Mechanical characteristics: UTS: 1350-1250MPa Ys:1000-900MPa, Ap5: >10%

Suggested material for brazing: T99 (ag 56% Cu 22% - Zn 17%)

XCrOMNICROM is the culmination of a long journey, began more than 30 years ago, started with the collaboration of Columbus with the Institute de Soudure de Paris.It all starts with the latest low-carbon Chromium-Molybdenum Steel alloys

a highly controlled alloy composition.

controlled crystalline structure that ensures unprecedented welding experience, with a smooth and predictable behaviour.Moreover, the centenarian experience of Columbus in the cold-drawing plastic transformation, is able to furtherly improve OMNICROM’s impressive mechanical properties, with increased yield strength and resilience, for an enhanced and long lasting riding experience. Mechanical characteristics: UTS=1300MPa, Ys≥920 MPa, Ap5>15%.Suggested material for TIG welding: OK TIGROD 13.12 (AWS 5.28 ER 80S-G)Suggested material for brazing: Castoline Silver Alloy 38230

Omnicrom

25CrMo4 seamless steel: the chemical composition of this steel, specifying a higher percentage of Chromium, gives to the material good resistance properties to overheating. The formation of carbides prevents the grain enlargement: the steel maintains its mechanical properties during brazing and welding, even in the malleable raw state it features excellent mechanical characteristics.High versatility, esy to match with other alloys, easy to manipulate. Mechanical characteristics: UTS=800MPa, Ys=760MPa, Ap5 =12%

Suggested material for brazing: Castoline Silver Alloy 38230

25CrMo4

CromorColumbus Cromor is a 25CrMo4 steel, seamed and cold drawn, butted to variable thicknesses using shaped mandrills. Cromor steel is produced starting from a calibrated tube which has already received two drawing processes, before being

Mechanical characteristics: UTS=750MPa, Ys=700MPa, Ap5 ≥ 12%Suggested material for TIG welding: OK TIGROD 13.12 (AWS 5.28 ER 80S-G)Suggested material for brazing: Castoline Silver Alloy 38230

COLUMBUS STEEL